Types of Therapy

Just as there are many different mental health conditions, there are multiple types of therapy for them. Having a general idea of the particular kinds and how they work is helpful since patients typically benefit more from therapy if they understand the process and how the provider believes it will help them. In reality, in order to better suit their clients’ individual needs, mental health care practitioners often blend several different approaches.

Common types of therapy include:

Art therapy, which involves engaging in dance, drawing, music, painting and other forms of art to communicate, resolve conflicts, express emotions, solve problems more effectively and promote healing. Its practitioners are trained in both art and therapy.;

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), which encourages positive behaviors and lessens negative patterns of thinking and feelings, is well-suited for depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder. It helps individuals understand and change incorrect beliefs. Exercises that are done at home allow the patient to become more aware of his or her thoughts and make positive changes. Problem-solving therapy, a type of CBT, helps individuals deal with existing problems.;

Family therapy, which provides a space for the whole family to express concerns and fears and learn new ways to interact. The patient and other family members, including parents and siblings (or spouses and children), attend together. When addressing issues that affect the family, the therapist will discourage interruptions so that everyone has a chance to voice his or her thoughts.;

Interpersonal therapy, which focuses on a person’s relationships with others and often works well for depression. It allows individuals to change their behavior with family and friends, communicate better and improve their self-esteem.; and

Psychodynamic therapy, which examines problems that may have started in childhood and gives patients a better understanding of unconscious emotions and motivations which can impact their thoughts and actions.

The main varieties of therapy for teenagers are individual, group and family or a combination of any or all of the three.

In Individual Therapy, a youth meets with a therapist for approximately 50 minutes to discuss his or her problems. The therapist may ask the teen to identify his or her feelings about the issues and may assign “homework” to help him or her work through them. Everything a patient says is confidential, unless the therapist believes the individual is at risk for hurting himself/herself or someone else. Therapists sometimes consult with a youth’s parents or school counselor as part of his or her treatment.

Group Therapy takes place with two or more other patients with sessions usually lasting 90 minutes. It allows adolescents to see that their peers have similar problems and to learn and practice new ways of handling personal issues. While it can be intimidating to join a group of strangers, patients typically feel more comfortable within a few sessions. Groups often contain up to five teens with one or two leaders, who bring up particular topics. Members are allowed to ask their own questions and get answers from the group, however.

As noted above, Family Therapy allows adolescents’ loved ones to learn how their mental health conditions affect them and what family members can do to help. Family Therapy often is short term with up to a dozen sessions that typically last 50 minutes to an hour each.

Organizations such as the National Institute of Mental Health and the National Alliance on Mental Illness provide valuable information online, including issues to consider when looking for a therapist, taking the first step toward treatment and the types of mental health practitioners and ways to locate specific providers.